The Atlanta Braves have returned to form after enduring a 10-day malaise and will go for a sweep of their three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
The Braves entered the series, which matches two division-leading teams, having lost their last three series and suffered through a pair of three-game losing streaks. They responded by beating Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski on Friday and produced a walk-off victory thanks to Ozzie Albies’ ninth-inning home run on Saturday.
“I really like the way we’ve played the last couple of days, and the way we responded to a really tough week really sticks out to me,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “You have to win games like that to have good seasons. You look back and you remember games like this.”
Albies, who homered twice on Saturday and delivered the team’s fifth walk-off victory, said the National League East leaders have a special squad.
“I’ve been around this team for a long time, but this one is definitely special,” he said. “We just expect to win every day.”
The starting pitchers for the series finale are Milwaukee’s Robert Gasser (0-3, 4.88 ERA) against Atlanta’s Bryce Elder (5-4, 3.15).
Gasser, a left-hander, will be making his sixth start of the season. He received no decision in his last appearance on Tuesday against Cleveland, throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing two hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. Opponents are batting only .237 against Gasser, who was recalled after starting the season with Triple-A Nashville.
“I feel good,” Gasser said. “I’m definitely still working through a couple of things, but that’s just consistency. Getting dinged up a little bit early this year set me off a little bit, but I’m getting back into the feel of being a pitcher and working through a lineup three or four times.”
Gasser has never faced the Braves.
Elder will be making his 16th start. He is coming off a loss to the New York Mets on Sunday when he was knocked out after four innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits and two walks. It caused his ERA to rise from 2.66 to 3.15.
Elder has made four career appearances against the Brewers, going 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA. He has not faced Milwaukee since 2024.
Highly regarded Milwaukee rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt has been impressive in his first week since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday. Pratt was 2-for-4 on Saturday and upped his average to .375 in his first five games.
“Coaching is a very vital part of the whole thing, but as you progress through the organization you have to have the self-awareness and responsibility to keep growing, go through your own experiences of ups and downs,” manager Pat Murphy said. “There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of nerves, and you have to learn to help them setting down and focus on the right things.”
Murphy announced that he will have a procedure on June 25, an off day when Milwaukee returns from its current road trip, to alleviate back pain that has hampered him all year, even to the point where he doesn’t go to the mound to change pitchers.
The Brewers manager also is slated to undergo hip surgery on July 13 at the start of the All-Star break. He said he doesn’t expect either procedure to cause him to miss any games for the NL Central leaders.
–Field Level Media
